I read recently (thanks Jerry Jones) that only 8% of people reach their new year’s resolutions. Eight percent!! That’s hardly any! But wait – that number changes to 65% if we have someone who keeps us accountable to that goal. And 95% if you make regular meetings with that person. That’s massive!
Intention gets us part of the way, but having someone to regularly ask us about that intention can make all the difference – and that’s the case in re-entry too. You can decide you’re going to get out to the gym or meet a new potential friend for coffee; you can think about searching the job pages or writing your CV; or you can determine that this will be the month when you unpack that final box or make that photo book. How often do you get derailed from that simple task, or simply not do it because you don’t have the energy? – or because no one’s asking you.
Keeping on track with your resolutions
If you find yourself getting stuck in your re-entry, then finding a partner to stand with you can make a massive difference. My husband and I sat down every couple of weeks during our re-entry and went through what we were trying to do, ticking off what we’d achieved and setting new goals. It was really effective in keeping us moving forward (and motivated).
Who could you use as a re-entry partner? Your journal (possibly not as effective, but a good place to start)? A friend? Your spouse? A coach? A guided exercise book (I recommend Cate Brubaker’s Re-entry Roadmap)? Who will be most helpful to you? Give yourself the new year’s gift of having someone walk with you on your journey.
Other thoughts to ponder
I came across a different way of looking into the new year recently, courtesy of an email from Richard Rohr, Jesuit priest. I liked the questions so thought I’d share them with you. Think about how these apply to you in your current stage of re-entry:
What do I want to let go of?
What do I want to give myself to?
What could keep me from giving myself fully to those things?
Perhaps you have found other things helpful for keeping you on-track during re-entry – if so, do share them below in the comments. Or let me know how your new year’s resolutions work out!
And finally…
If you would like someone to accompany you during your re-entry, do get in touch.
15th January 2019
